1 NFL Offseason Deadline Holds No Weight for the Vikings
It was the beginning of the 2022 offseason when the Vikings quickly acted after the season ended and relieved GM Rick Spielman and coach Mike Zimmer of their duties. A new leadership was required, preferably a duo that can operate together without feuds impacting the work.
1 NFL Offseason Deadline Holds No Weight for the Vikings
Kevin O’Connell and Kwesi Adofo-Mensah were hired, and through three seasons, they have completely reshaped the culture and roster and won 34 of their 51 games in charge of the organization.
They have guided the franchise through this offseason, and the Draft is right around the corner. One item they don’t have to think about is the deadline to pick up the fifth-year option for first-round players entering their fourth NFL season.
Well, that would be Lewis Cine, but the safety is no longer on the roster, and the Vikings don’t employ any other first-rounders from the 2022 Draft, so they can just ignore that part of the offseason.
Last year, the club obviously checked the box and picked up Christian Darrisaw’s option, and Justin Jefferson drew the involuntary contract extension in the previous offseason. Another no-brainer. Both signed big-time contract extensions in 2024.
If Cine was still on the team, that would also be a no-brainer, but in a different way.
Adofo-Mensah opted to trade from the 12th overall pick all the way down to 32 in a swap with the Lions. Jameson Williams was their pick, and after a slow start, he’s been coming along well in the last year for Detroit.
The Vikings, meanwhile, selected someone who competed with Williams in the national title game: Georgia’s speedy safety Cine.
A phenomenal athlete and an impressive college resume made him look like a solid pickup. Surely, he would compete and ultimately beat out sophomore Cam Bynum for the starting job next to Harrison Smith.
Well, he didn’t. Even worse, when Smith missed a game, it was Joshua Metellus getting the nod, implying Cine was safety four on the depth chart. A few weeks into the season, the rookie suffered a season-ending leg injury, and his development was put on hold.
In the following offseason, the Vikings swapped defensive coordinator Ed Donatell for Brian Flores, which also didn’t help his growth. Once again, Cine didn’t play much of a role and was inactive for most of the year.
Entering year three, he showed some promise in the preseason, but not enough to survive roster cuts. He moved on and had stints with the Bills and Eagles. He’s on Philadelphia’s offseason roster, trying to revive his career alongside half of the championship defense from his successful college days.
Cine appeared in ten games with the Vikings, making one tackle on ten defensive snaps and 118 on special teams.
Next year, the Vikings will decide on Jordan Addison’s future. He has been excellent on the field and surely option-worthy, but his off-field incidents could lead the Vikings to decline the option. Some folks have even included him in trade scenarios.
But that’s a debate for next year. This year’s option deadline will be May 1st, but the Vikings will not be part of that conversation.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Pro Football Reference helped with this article.
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Janik Eckardt is a football fan who likes numbers and stats. The Vikings became his favorite team despite their quarterback at the time, Christian Ponder. He is a walking soccer encyclopedia, loves watching sitcoms, and prefers Classic rock over other genres. Follow him on Twitter if you like the Vikings: @JanikEckardt